


Mending Fences

by themystery424



Category: Devil May Cry, Ib (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, brothers reunite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 14:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8211574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themystery424/pseuds/themystery424
Summary: Dante has found a gate into a very specific part of hell, something about a gallery? He goes in, expecting to save a few human lives, hop on out, and seal off the gate forever. But while there, he runs into a familiar face.I borrowed the setting from Ib to do some brotherly moments! So there are no Ib Characters here, but in the future, there will be!





	

Dante looked at the painting now hanging in his office. The title was simple, “Fabricated World”. He tilted his head, looking at it with intrigue. If he was anything, what he wasn’t was an art buff. All the same, this mix-mash of colors on the canvas really stuck with him. Maybe it was the idea of escaping to another world within the painting, like the title implied, with the colors capturing attention and the action that lurked within. Or maybe it was because Dante knew this was a portal to hell.

Lady walked by the giant frame, also intrigued by it. She reached her hand out, and Dante grabbed it, stopping her from touching whatever it was she was going for. Lady turned, facing him with a frown.

“I was only going to touch the frame.” She said.

“Doesn’t matter. If you touch anything, it’ll suck you in.” Lady yanked her arm away, crossing her arms and looking over the painting with him.

“Why are you going to go in there?” She asked. “We could burn the painting, and that’s it. The portal’s closed.”

“It’s not that simple.” Dante told her in a matter-of-fact tone. “This specific part of hell is linked to this guy’s works. While this is the main gateway, another could be created. What I want to do is make sure there isn’t anyone in there, and then try and seal it off so no one gets in again.” Lady rolled her eyes. 

“You know, you really sound like your brother sometimes.” She told him, punching his arm. That got Dante to crack a smile. Vergil had been dead for ten years now. Dante missed him, and it only got worse after what had happened last month, Last month, Dante had gone to Fortuna, and met a young knight named Nero, who carried the blood of Sparda. Not just the blood of Sparda, which Dante would’ve been okay with. Hey, Dante liked to have fun, sleep around, it would only make sense that his dad would too, and we all make mistakes. No, what made Nero different was that he wasn’t just the descendant of Sparda, but the son of his twin, Vergil. 

And boy, did Nero sport Vergil’s genes. There were times when Dante couldn’t stand to talk to him or be near him, the resemblence to his twin eating him up inside.

“So… You ready to go?” She asked him. Dante nodded, turning to get Rebellion, hooking the overly large sword on his back. He pulled Ebony and Ivory out of his desk drawers and holstered them. “Be safe, okay Dante? This doesn’t look like anything we’ve dealt with before.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He brushed off her warning and faced her with a smile. “You sure you’ll be able to hold down the fort here with Trish?” Lady scoffed. 

“Probably better than you can.” She teased. Dante laughed and shook his head, turning to the painting. Slowly, he raised his gloved hand to the canvas, pressing each finger against the painting one by one until eventually he laid his palm flat against it. The lights flickered, before eventually going out. Dante turned around, and he frowned.

Lady was gone, along with the shop and everything else. He was in art gallery now, surrounded by Guertena’s works. Sculptures, paintings, everything. The gallery was pure white, from the walls to the floor, even the ceiling. It didn’t feel right. He reached for Rebellion, just to find that, like the shop and Lady, his sword was gone. As were Ebony and Ivory.

“Great…” He muttered, walking to where he thought the front desk might be. As he passed, writing appeared on the wall. He stopped, pausing to read it. 

_ Come down below, Dante. Let’s have some fun! _

The Devil Hunter couldn’t help the smirk that spread across his features. He shrugged, whistling to the empty gallery as he walked down the stairs, stopping at a large floor mural. He glanced at the plaque, which read “Abyss of the Deep”. The rope was parted, footsteps leading to it. Dante inspected it, before he finally shrugged. He stepped into the painting, not expecting the splash that followed, and the pitch blackness that surrounded him almost immediately.

When he opened his eyes, he was standing straight up, as if he hadn’t fallen through a pool of water in the middle of the floor. He was on a stair, the top stair, only leading down into a room decorated entirely of blue. Slowly, he stepped down, looking left and right. 

“Not much of a party if you ask me,” He quipped to no one in particular. He turned right, walking down the long hall, ignoring the letters ‘C O M E D A N T E’ sprawled across the wall to his left. At the end of the hall was a small table, a vase sitting a top it, with a single red rose sitting in it. With some hesitation, Dante picked up the rose. There was a change in the air, and Dante shivered. He carefully placed the rose inside his coat. He moved the small table, and stepped through into the room.

In the middle of the room there was a blue key, which he stooped to pick up. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the eyes of the painted woman open. A note was under her, and he walked over to it, ripping it off the wall. He chuckled as he read what it had to say, crumpling it up and tossing it over his shoulder. 

“ _ When the rose withers, _ ” He said, making his voice sound deeper for the drama. “ _ So too will you wither away. _ ” He stepped out into the hall, stopping to take in the change of his environment. Now, instead of ‘Come Dante’, across the wall the word ‘THIEF’ was written in red over and over again. He shook his head, beginning to walk back down the hall. There was a clicking sound as ‘T H I E F’ was spelled out in front of him on the floor.

“It was just a damn key.” He muttered. “Get a hold of yourself.” He continued on, stepping over the letters. When he got back to the two paintings of the sea, one red and the other blue, he noticed that the stairs he’d appeared on were gone. He was stuck down here, which meant all he could do was keep going. Down the hall to the left was a blue door, which the blue key fit perfectly into. 

~~~

Dante couldn’t believe everything that had happened to him up to that point. He helped a talking ant see a painting, he’d gotten chased by a headless statue, unable to fight and defend himself, had to play hide-and-seek with a stick figure to get half of a fish key that fit into a giant cat’s head, and during that game of hide-and-seek, he’d gotten slapped by a woman, hit with a red hand, and figured out what exactly the note had meant. Each time he’d gotten hurt, petals from his rose would fall. Even if it was something as light as a slap, he would feel incredulously weaker.

Right now he was in the process of trying to do some mental math to open a door. He’d just seen paintings commit homicide, had a doll fall on his head, oh and had a pair of lips hanging on a wall try to eat his rose. Which he had to fight to get back, in the process losing some of the petals on his rose. Thank God there were random vases everywhere, made it easier to heal. If he didn’t know better, Dante could swear he was in a video game.

Finally he got the math right, the door clicking and opening slowly. He stepped through, walking to the only tree with fruit on it. He picked the red apple, tossing it in the air before catching it with his left hand. It was wooden, which was weird. It took a moment, and then he remembered the hungry lips on the wall. Dante sprinted to where they hung, barely breaking a sweat.

“Hungry… give food…”

“Yeah, here you go.” He said, handing the apple over. He listened as they crunched the wooden thing. He watched in confusion as juices from the apple splattered everywhere, when just a second ago he could swear the thing had been wooden.

“I let you pass now… Go through my mouth…” Dante smirked.

“Don’t mind if I do.” The mouth stretched open, creating a large enough hole for Dante to get his entire body through. He stepped in, carefully avoiding the razor sharp teeth. When he came out the other side, he was now in a completely red hallway.

He walked down slowly, taking in the paintings as he passed by. They weren’t bad, if they didn’t have the tendency to come to life and chase after observers. Finally he came to the end of the hall, opening the door and stepping in as quietly as he could. As he observed all the paintings, which included a hearbeat, a gentleman smoking, a heart in ice with an arrow through it, and a Lady in Red. He paused at the Lady in Red, nodding and whistling lowly.

He turned around, when he heard the crash of the glass and frame hitting the floor. He turned, the Lady in Red now crawling towards him, viciously reaching for his rose. Beside her, a key, which he was able to grab. Then he turned and ran, getting out alive but just barely. It was odd that such a thing scared him, when he knew he’d faced worse in his life. He stopped at the vase, dipping the end of the stem into the water, watching with some amazement as the petals grew back. He turned right, making his way down the hall. There was a figure there, laying on his stomach, groaning in pain. Dante made his way over, nudging the guy with his foot.

“Hey buddy, you okay?” Dante didn’t notice that the guy was wearing a black vest, with blue-gray pants and long brown boots. It also didn’t strike him as startling that the guy had white hair. What Dante did notice was that in his hand was a key. He bent down, prying it away. Then he turned around, walking back down the hall to the left, finding a small room. Inside, there was another Lady, this time a Lady in Blue, clawing at a blue rose. Dante frowned.

“Hey, looking for some fresh meat?” He called, posing against the wall. “I’m all yours babe. Just come and get it.” He winked, and the woman sprung into action, trying to get after him. It took one flip, and Dante landed in front of the rose, picking it up and ducking around the woman to get to the door. He ran down the hall, closing the door behind him, the woman  pounding at it and growling. He shook his head, dipping the blue rose’s stem into the vase, and watching as it healed. Then he walked back down the hall, the man still laying there.

“Alright sleeping beauty. Wakey wakey.” He offered the rose, and the man accepted it. When he finally sat up, Dante took two steps back. “Oh my God… Vergil…?” Vergil looked up at his twin brother with dazed confusion, rubbing at his head. He looked like he’d aged right along side Dante, his face older and his eyes reflecting years of wisdom he’d gathered. Vergil didn’t say anything right away, pushing himself to his feet and looking around. His eyes settled on something, and Dante noticed his coat had been tossed aside. He picked it up, slid it on, and then walked over to Dante. The two watched each other for a moment, neither one believing the other was real, until finally Dante hugged him tightly. It took Vergil a moment, but he reciprocated the action.

“God… Is it really you, Vergil?” Dante asked, pulling away, looking confused. “What are you doing here? How’d you get here?” Vergil smiled and chuckled.

“Really I should be asking you these questions, Dante.” He put his hand on his brother’s shoulder, taking in Dante’s image. “My answers are simple. Yes, it is me. I am here to liberate lost souls, and I got here probably the same way you did. Through a painting.” Dante blinked, unable to believe what was happening. “Let’s walk and talk, Dante, there isn’t much time.” Dante nodded and walked with his elder twin. Vergil didn’t speak for a while, the twins walking down a hall with lines of mannequins heads on either side. Vergil pulled him into a room just off of the hall, and shut and locked the door. “We’re safe here, for now.”

“You been here before?” Dante asked, looking at the shelves of books. Vergil took off his coat and laid it across some of the shelves, looking at his rose with intrigue. Then he laid it down on top of his coat. 

“Yes.” He answered. “Many souls find their way into this gallery. I lead them out.” Then Vergil watched his brother, and tilted his head. “Tell me Dante, is there any reason why you’re here?”

“I was about to shut the gate to this place forever, but I figured I’d look around and make sure there aren’t any humans trapped in here first.” Dante then stared at Vergil, watching as his twin picked up a book and began to read, sitting on the floor and taking a few deep breaths. Dante got up and sat next to him. “Vergil… Why are you freeing souls? What’s happened? I don’t understand, you’re… dead.” Vergil only laughed, smiling as he did.

“Yes, Dante. I am dead. The events at Mallet Island happened as you remember them. Answer me this, where does a demon go when he dies?” Vergil didn’t give him a chance to answer. “They go to hell. When you killed me, I found myself back here. So I wandered, and got in the habit of saving the souls that didn’t belong here.” Dante was a little thrown by Vergil’s calm exterior. They were brothers, having not seen each other for ten years, and the last time they met it ended with Vergil’s death. Vergil occasionally glanced up from his book, and then sighed. “Something bothering you?”

“Vergil… Why are you acting like everything is fine?” He asked, feeling like a child. Vergil shook his head, sighing as he closed the book.

“Dante… I’m getting tired of this. It’s been ten years.” Dante was confused, but didn’t interject like he wanted to. He kept listening to his brother. “Ten years, with the same hallucinations and delusions. I’ve grown tired of acting surprised or happy when I see you, because it’s never you. Just like I know this isn’t you either.” That explained everything, and Dante stood up.

“It’s me this time though. I mean, have any of your hallucinations aged like this?” He gestured to himself, especially to the fuzz on his face. The light beard suited Dante, Vergil thought, but he would have never thought to see his brother with it. He stood up, looking over his younger twin.

“... I don’t understand.” He murmured. “You’re a figment of my imagination…” Dante smiled and shook his head.

“No, no I’m not.” Vergil paused, and then snatched Dante’s rose from his coat. “Hey! Hey that’s mine!” Vergil lookd at the petals and counted them, noticing that in fact there were ten healthy rose petals. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then placed one of them between his forefinger and his thumb. He plucked it off, and let it float to the ground. Dante cried out and put his hand to his chest. Blood started pouring from it, and Vergil looked shocked.

“Oh my God…” He said. “You’re here… You’re really here.” He bent down and helped his brother up. Dante groaned as he got to his feet, and Vergil quickly ran to the vase, healing the red rose. Dante took a breath, and glared at his brother. 

“What the fuck, Vergil? Why did you do that? How… What the fuck?”

“I was concentrating on a wound from our past. Atop Temen-ni-gru. If the wound actually had happened to you, it would reappear, but if it hadn’t, you’d just get a scratch.” Vergil told him. Dante laughed and the two hugged again. Dante was happy, the hug feeling so much more real this time around. Vergil held onto him tightly, taking a deep breath. “Oh Dante…” Then he pulled away. “The Yamato. How is she? And that woman, Mary, is she alright? Please tell me you killed that hellspawn who worked for Mundus.”

“Whoa, easy, easy!” Dante laughed, glad to see his brother finally acting like a rational being. “The Yamato… Long story. Lady is fine, she helps me run the shop. Devil May Cry, my shop. And Trish… Yeah, she helps around the shop too.” Vergil frowned, and then sighed.

“I suppose if you were able to reform her, that makes sense… I’m glad to hear you and Mar-Lady, are okay.” Dante looked confused, and laughed a little nervously.

“Wow… It’s weird that you included her in that.” He said. Vergil hesitated, and he sighed.

“I… I believe that I care about her.” He muttered. Dante blinked.   
“Whoa… You care? You hardly know her!” He laughed. Vergil rolled his eyes, a blush tinting his cheeks. “Wow!”

“Oh hush… It was… Mostly for a reason, I’m guessing.” He murmured. “Alright Dante. Let’s get going.” With finese and grace, Vergil snatched his coat up and slid it on, catching his rose with his left hand. As they walked, Dante kept glancing at Vergil, Vergil returning it. “... What did you mean when you said that talking about the Yamato was a long story?” Dante shrugged it off the best he could.

“Eh… What did you mean when you said that you were crushing on Lady for a reason?” Vergil hesitated. “Alright, fine… I’ll go first. Then you explain yourself.” Vergil nodded, listening. Dante cleared his throat. “Look, I went to Fortuna a month ago, and I met-”

“Ah.” Vergil cut him off. “I see. How is he?” Dante stopped, and Vergil stopped with him. “Oh, and what’s his name?”

“I-” He stopped, shaking his head. “His name is Nero. He uh, I gave him the Yamato, and that’s where she is.” Vergil nodded, a small smile on his face.

“Good… He would be… Twenty, twenty one now? Will you be taking him to the bar? I expect nothing else from you.” He chuckled. Dante stared at him.

“You… You know he’s your son, then?” Vergil nodded.

“I’ve known since the moment he was born, Dante. I felt it.” He said with a gentle smile. “I… I was in the process of raising Temen-ni-gru when he was born. I almost dropped the project completely and ran back to Fortuna.”

“Why didn’t you? I mean, we wouldn’t be here if you did.” Vergil sighed. 

“Power, Dante. Might controls everything-”

“And without strength, you cannot protect anything. Let alone yourself.” Dante finished, and Vergil was taken aback. “... After I thought you died, I sorta memorized a lot stuff you said.” 

“Yes… Well, I figured if I had the power of Sparda, I would be able to keep him safe. Safer than if I didn’t have it.” Dante nodded, patting his brother’s back as he kept on walking. “So, you started caring about Lady because?” Vergil huffed.

“In a moment of foolishness, I figured my son would need a mother figure. And seeing that human woman be so strong, there was no other female figure for him.” Dante grinned, looping his arm around his brother’s shoulders and walking with him. Vergil shook his head, still smiling as they traveled on to the gray room. 

~~~

The two brothers bonded as they traveled the world of Guertena, finding no lost souls and no wandering humans. They talked, enjoying the company, and if they ever verged on arguing they would fall into silence. They walked through the gallery, now all black, stopping in front of a large mural, bright and happy. Dante looked at the plaque.

“Fabricated World…” He said. “I have this painting in my office, it’s how I got here.” Vergil smiled and sighed.

“It’s time for you to go, Dante.” Dante turned to his brother, surprised.

“What?”

“We’ve reached the end of our journey together. I’ll be leaving, going back out into hell, and you will return to the office, able now to close off this portal forever.” Dante just stared at him, not wanting to leave. Vergil placed a hand on his shoulder, looking up as the frame around the painting disappeared. 

“Vergil, I don’t want to leave. Let me stay with you.” Vergil laughed.

“You know better than that. You would hate it here, and after a little while, we would try to kill each other.” He told his brother. He could see Dante going to try and object again, and he stopped him. “Go home, Dante, please.” Dante glanced at the mural, and then back to his brother.

“Alright, Vergil…” Again, the brothers embraced, and Dante held on tightly. “I don’t want to go. Come with me, please?” Vergil smiled and patted his brother’s back. 

“I can’t.” he said. “We’ll see each other again sometime, okay? I promise.” Dante nodded, and turned to the mural.The frame around it disappeared, and after one last glance at his brother, Dante stepped through the portrait.

~~~

Dante didn’t know where he was, or what he was doing. He was standing in front of a mural, a large mural. He nodded, smiling at it. It was nice, filled with colors. He glanced at the plaque, a little girl with a red skirt on trying to read it. He leaned over, and she looked up. He was a little offset by her red eyes, but didn’t let it show.

“Do you know what it says?” He asked her, and she shook her head. “This painting is called Fabricated World.” He read. “Pretty cool stuff, huh?” She nodded, and turned away from him. Dante didn’t mind too much, making his way through the gallery, to the front exit. He didn’t know how he’d gotten here, or why he was here, but he felt… Better, somehow, like a weight had been taken off his shoulders. He was in a hurry to get home, where his pizza, beer and weapons were.


End file.
